Pajama Sam's Sock Works

Pajama Sam's Sock Works is a Junior Arcade game released in July 8th 1997. The game is based and its very identical to the Lost Luggage minigame from Let's Explore the Airport with a Pajama Sam theming.

Plot[]

Pajama Sam is playing by himself in his room. His mom comes in and tells him to put away his socks before school the next day. As he falls asleep, he starts dreaming about a machine that will automatically put away socks, with moving belts, chutes, and other strange inventions to move differently colored socks into the similar-colored baskets: Sock-O-Matic.

In the end, Sam looks out the window and sees that it is snowing. He thinks that there will be a snow day and continues to sleep until lightning flashes. Foreshadowing the next Pajama Sam adventure game, Thunder and Lightning Aren't So Frightening.

Menu Options[]

Play New Game: Play through level 1 to level 100.
Continue Old Game: Replays the saved game.
Make New Custom Levels: Make your own custom levels and save.
Play Custom Levels: Plays your own custom levels.
Change Custom Levels: Changes your own custom levels.

Gameplay[]

The gameplay is identical to that of the Lost Luggage minigame from Let's Explore the Airport. Like with the minigame, the objective is to sort the socks into the correct bins by moving the conveyer belts to their appropriate way. If the socks fall or land on the incorrect bins, players have to restart the level all over again.

Objects[]

There are several objects in the game that serve specific functions. These include:

Barriers: Barriers are "dead-ends" in the game. Socks will continue to bounce against them until you take action.
Baskets: The laundry baskets are where you want the socks to go. Make sure the baskets and the socks match color or you'll have to start all over!
Blue Belts: The blue conveyor belts move socks in either direction. To change the direction just click on the belt.
Red Belts: The red conveyor belts move socks only in the direction indicated by the arrows and cannot be changed.
Rotator Belts: The rotator belts move socks in the direction indicated by the arrows and can move socks onto another belt, slide, etc. You can click on these belts to make them change direction.
Chutes: All the chutes have symbols (star, circle, square, and diamond) to identify them. When a sock drops into a chute, it will pop out of a chute with a matching symbol. If no match is available, it will default to a chute with another symbol, but you won't know which!
Directors: The swing arm directors are used to open and close the pathways to other belts and slides. To switch a director arm from one side to the other just click on it.
Paint Buckets: The paint buckets change the color of the socks as they pass through them. For example, if a red sock goes through the blue bucket the sock will turn blue. The multi-color paint bucket changes the socks to one of four colors. The color it changes to is determined by it's original color. For example, if your sock is red it will turn blue, the color which is next, clockwise, in the bucket, So, if your sock is yellow, it will turn red as it passes through the multi-color bucket and so on.
Pushers - automatic: Automatic pushers have a single green light on top, are on all the time, and bump socks whether you want to or not, so watch out for these!
Pushers - manual: Manual pushers push socks in a different direction or onto a different belt or slide. Manual pushers have both red and green lights on top and can be turned on or off. To turn one on just click on it--the green light will flash and it will automatically push any sock when it passes in front of it. To turn it off click again.
Slides: Slides move socks at three times the speed set for the game. You can set the game speed with the Turbo lever to the right of Sam on the control panel.
Slide Angles: Slide angles help guide the socks onto and off of the slides.

Strategy[]

In SockWorks you have red socks, blue socks, yellow socks and green socks. The object is to make the socks fall into the same colored baskets. For instance, you want the yellow socks to drop into the yellow baskets, the green socks into the green baskets and so on.

As the socks travel along the conveyor belts you can click on the belts to make them change direction, click on the directors to close off or open a passage and click on manual pushers to push socks onto different belt or slides.

At the bottom of your screen is the control panel. Sam sits down there and works with you to make sure those socks into the correct bins. You're the foreman on this team and Sam follows your commands. Watch when you move the mouse around, Sam's eyes will follow! And when you click on a belt to change it's direction Sam will move his levers to make it happen.

The Control Panel also shows the level you're working on, allows you to change the speed at which the socks travel and the power switch gives you the opportunity to start the level over or quit for a breather.

Level Indicator

This displays the current level you're working on. Each level has a unique name and when you run the editor you can name your own levels!

Speed Control

This is the slowest speed the machine can run. It's a good speed for checking out the level and getting ready to guide those socks into the right color baskets.

This is the fastest speed. Those socks are moving so fast you've got to be really quick to catch them all!

Power Switch

Click on the power switch to end the level you're running. Sam will stop the Sock-o-Matic and you'll go back to the Levels screen. You can try the same level again, choose another level or go back to the menu screen to do something else.

The object is to get the socks into the matching color baskets. Sometimes this is much easier said than done! The great thing about SockWorks is that you can always try again. There are no penalties for not successfully completing a level and you can go back and try the same level over and over until you get it.

SockWorks is a little like a maze and a little like a puzzle. When you see your first level the best approach is to take a look at where the socks are and find the matching baskets. Then, pick one sock and try to figure how to get it to its basket. If you move quickly enough you may have time to work on the other socks on the screen too. If not, play the level again and when you've completed it you'll be ready to take on another!

HINT: You can pause the game by pressing the spacebar (then move the pause game dialog box out of your way) to get a look and plan your strategy.

Distractions: These are funny little characters that run, fly or otherwise move across the screen while you're trying to move your socks. They add to the challenge and if you're not careful you'll find yourself watching them instead of the socks!

Paint Buckets: There are four paint buckets, red, blue, yellow and green. When a sock passes through one of these it will turn the color in the bucket. This can add to the fun since the bucket could be right near the basket you're aiming for, and if the sock turns a different color you'll need to be quick to stop it from falling into the wrong color basket!

Multi-Color Paint Bucket: This is one special paint bucket! If a sock passes through this bucket it can change to one of four colors. The color it changes to is determined by it's original color. For example, if your sock is red it will turn blue, the color which is next, clockwise, in the bucket. So, if your sock is yellow, it will turn red as it passes through the multi-color bucket and so on.

Trivia[]

In this game, Sam is voiced by E.G. Daily, presumably because Pamela Segall Adlon was too busy voicing Bobby Hill in "King of the Hill."
The music that plays inside Sam's room is also played in Sam's room in Pajama Sam in "No Need To Hide When It's Dark Outside". The song is also played in SPY Fox in "Dry Cereal" as the Waltz music on the S.S. Deadweight (albeit remixed).
As the game takes place in a dream, this is the only game where Pajama Sam doesn't wear his cape.